Food Safety and Security (Modification of Act’s Application to Government — Military Use) Rules 2025

No. S 717

Food Safety and Security Act 2025

Food Safety and Security
(Modification of Act’s Application to
Government — Military Use) Rules 2025

In exercise of the powers conferred by section 319(3) of the Food Safety and Security Act 2025, the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment makes the following Rules:

PART 1

PRELIMINARY

Citation and commencement

1.  These Rules are the Food Safety and Security (Modification of Act’s Application to Government — Military Use) Rules 2025 and come into operation on 28 November 2025.

Definitions

2.—(1)  In these Rules —

“applicable military site” means any part of Singapore that —

(a) is or is part of —

(i) a site belonging to or occupied by or on behalf of the Singapore Armed Forces; or

(ii) a manoeuvring ground or firing ground during the continuance of any military manoeuvres or firing exercises under the Military Manoeuvres Act 1905; and

(b) is classified by the Chief of Defence Force for the purposes of these Rules because —

(i) information with respect to the whole or part of the site or ground or any activities happening within; or

(ii) damage to the whole or part of the site or ground or any facilities installed or material kept within,

would be useful to a foreign government or an enemy, or be prejudicial to the security of Singapore,

but only while the site or ground is so classified;

“general orders” has the meaning given by section 2(1) of the Singapore Armed Forces Act 1972;

“navy drinking water service” means a drinking water service —

(a) provided on board a Singapore naval vessel; and

(b) involving the supply for consumption only by people on board the same Singapore naval vessel of drinking water obtained from any drinking water production carried out on board that same vessel;

“person subject to military law” has the same meaning as in section 3 of the Singapore Armed Forces Act 1972;

“relevant drinking water service” means a drinking water service provided within an applicable military site —

(a) by any person subject to military law; and

(b) for consumption only by people lawfully within the same applicable military site;

“Singapore naval vessel” means —

(a) a Singapore military vessel; or

(b) a vessel wearing the State Marine Ensign under the authority of the Chief of Navy;

“site” means any place (but not a conveyance);

“vessel” includes a submarine.

(2)  Any reference in these Rules to drinking water and its supply does not include a reference to the supply of packaged drinking water.

PART 2

DRINKING WATER SERVICES

Act applies to navy drinking water service and within applicable military sites with modifications

3.  The Act applies to and in relation to —

(a) a navy drinking water service provided by the Singapore Armed Forces; and

(b) a relevant drinking water service provided within an applicable military site,

as the Act applies to a drinking water producer who provides a drinking water service, subject to the modifications and restrictions specified in the rules in this Part.

Modification of section 115 of Act

4.  Section 115 of the Act (regarding offence of supplying unwholesome drinking water) applies —

(a) with the modification that section 115(1), (2) and (3) of the Act is omitted;

(b) with the modification that the references in section 115(4) of the Act —

(i) to the prescribed requirements in any Part 6 Regulations concerning the quality, purity and general appearance of drinking water; and

(ii) to the prescribed methodology or assessment in any Part 6 Regulations,

are references to the comparable requirements and methodology or assessment specified by the Armed Forces Council in any general orders; and

(c) with the modification that —

(i) a navy drinking water service provided by the Singapore Armed Forces and a relevant drinking water service provided within an applicable military site are governed by the general orders mentioned in paragraph (b); and

(ii) any supply of unwholesome drinking water by a person subject to military law in the course of providing that navy drinking water service or relevant drinking water service (as the case may be) is to be treated as if an offence under section 17 or 21 of the Singapore Armed Forces Act 1972.

Modification of other provisions in Part 6 of Act

5.  Part 6 of the Act applies with the modification that sections 116 and 117 of the Act are omitted.

Modification of Part 13 of Act

6.  Part 13 of the Act applies with the modification that the reference in paragraph (g) of the definition of “regulated activity” in section 230 of the Act to the provision of non‑packaged drinking water does not include the provision of non‑packaged drinking water in the course of providing any of the following:

(a) a navy drinking water service;

(b) a relevant drinking water service.

Modification of section 312 of Act

7.  Section 312(3) of the Act applies with the modifications that —

(a) any reference to any drinking water service does not include any reference to any navy drinking water service or to any relevant drinking water service; and

(b) any reference to any drinking water producer does not include any reference to the Singapore Armed Forces providing a navy drinking water service or any person providing a relevant drinking water service.

PART 3

FOOD SUPPLY AND HANDLING ON BOARD NAVAL VESSELS AND WITHIN APPLICABLE MILITARY SITES

Act applies to food supply and handling with modifications

8.  The Act applies to and in relation to the supply and handling of food —

(a) onboard a Singapore naval vessel —

(i) by any person subject to military law acting under the direction of the Singapore Armed Forces; and

(ii) for consumption only by people on board the same Singapore naval vessel; or

(b) within an applicable military site —

(i) by any person subject to military law acting under the direction of the Singapore Armed Forces; and

(ii) for consumption only by people lawfully within the same relevant military site,

subject to the modifications and restrictions specified in the rules in this Part.

Modification of Part 5 of Act

9.—(1)  Part 5 of the Act applies, with the modifications in paragraph (2), to and in relation to the supply of food —

(a) that is by any person subject to military law acting under the direction of the Singapore Armed Forces, and not any others;

(b) that is either —

(i) onboard a Singapore naval vessel at the time of supply; or

(ii) within an applicable military site at the time of supply; and

(c) that —

(i) is, consists of or has as an ingredient any novel food, any genetically modified food or any edible insect‑like species; and

(ii) is for consumption only by people either on board the same Singapore naval vessel or within the same applicable military site.

(2)  The modifications for the purposes of paragraph (1) are —

(a) that the following requirements are omitted, where applicable:

(i) the novel food or genetically modified food is covered by a pre‑market approval;

(ii) the edible insect‑like species is a catalogued insect‑like species;

(b) that the supply of food is governed by the relevant general orders; and

(c) that any supply of food by a person subject to military law in contravention of those relevant general orders is to be treated as if an offence under section 17 or 21 of the Singapore Armed Forces Act 1972.

Modification of sections 152 and 153 of Act

10.—(1)  Sections 152 and 153 of the Act (regarding offences of handling food making it defined food) apply, with the modifications in paragraph (2), to and in relation to the handling of any food —

(a) that is by any person subject to military law acting under the direction of the Singapore Armed Forces, and not any others;

(b) that is either —

(i) onboard a Singapore naval vessel at the time of handling; or

(ii) within an applicable military site at the time of handling; and

(c) that —

(i) is for consumption only by people either on board the same Singapore naval vessel or within the same applicable military site; but

(ii) in a way that makes, will make, or is likely to make, the food a defined food.

(2)  The modifications for the purposes of paragraph (1) are —

(a) that the handling of food either —

(i) onboard a Singapore naval vessel at the time of handling; or

(ii) within an applicable military site at the time of handling;

is governed by the relevant general orders; and

(b) that any handling of food by a person subject to military law in contravention of those relevant general orders is to be treated as if an offence under section 17 or 21 of the Singapore Armed Forces Act 1972.

PART 4

GENERAL MODIFICATIONS

Modification of sections 245, 250 and 270 of Act

11.  Sections 245(2)(d)(i) and (iv), 250(5)(a)(i) and (v) and 270(1)(a)(i) and (v) of the Act apply with the modifications that the reference in those respective provisions to any defined food or non‑packaged drinking water for supply does not include any reference to any defined food or non‑packaged drinking water for supply —

(a) onboard a Singapore naval vessel; or

(b) within an applicable military site.

Made on 20 November 2025.

STANLEY LOH KA LEUNG

Permanent Secretary,
Ministry of Sustainability and
the Environment,
Singapore.

[030/01/136; AG/LEGIS/SL/111D/2025/7]

(To be presented to Parliament under section 316 of the Food Safety and Security Act 2025).